the titan-第37节
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one single rash move against me； I will kill you； and I will kill you on sight。 Now； I want you to go away from here and behave yourself。 Leave your wife alone。 Come and see me in a day or twothe money is ready for you any time。 He paused while Sohlberg staredhis eyes round and glassy。 This was the most astonishing experience of his life。 This man was either devil or prince； or both。 〃Good God！〃 he thought。 〃He will do that； too。 He will really kill me。〃 Then the astounding alternativefive thousand dollars a yearcame to his mind。 Well； why not？ His silence gave consent。
〃If I were you I wouldn't go up…stairs again to…night；〃 continued Cowperwood； sternly。 〃Don't disturb her。 She needs rest。 Go on down…town and come and see me to…morrowor if you want to go back I will go with you。 I want to say to Mrs。 Sohlberg what I have said to you。 But remember what I've told you。〃
〃Nau； thank you；〃 replied Sohlberg； feebly。 〃I will go down…town。 Good night。〃 And he hurried away。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Cowperwood to himself； defensively。 〃It is too bad； but it was the only way。〃
Chapter XXI
A Matter of Tunnels
The question of Sohlberg adjusted thus simply； if brutally； Cowperwood turned his attention to Mrs。 Sohlberg。 But there was nothing much to be done。 He explained that he had now completely subdued Aileen and Sohlberg； that the latter would make no more trouble； that he was going to pension him； that Aileen would remain permanently quiescent。 He expressed the greatest solicitude for her； but Rita was now sickened of this tangle。 She had loved him； as she thought； but through the rage of Aileen she saw him in a different light； and she wanted to get away。 His money； plentiful as it was； did not mean as much to her as it might have meant to some women； it simply spelled luxuries； without which she could exist if she must。 His charm for her had； perhaps； consisted mostly in the atmosphere of flawless security； which seemed to surround hima glittering bubble of romance。 That； by one fell attack； was now burst。 He was seen to be quite as other men； subject to the same storms； the same danger of shipwreck。 Only he was a better sailor than most。 She recuperated gradually； left for home； left for Europe； details too long to be narrated。 Sohlberg； after much meditating and fuming； finally accepted the offer of Cowperwood and returned to Denmark。 Aileen； after a few days of quarreling； in which he agreed to dispense with Antoinette Nowak； returned home。
Cowperwood was in no wise pleased by this rough denouement。 Aileen had not raised her own attractions in his estimation； and yet； strange to relate； he was not unsympathetic with her。 He had no desire to desert her as yet； though for some time he had been growing in the feeling that Rita would have been a much better type of wife for him。 But what he could not have； he could not have。 He turned his attention with renewed force to his business； but it was with many a backward glance at those radiant hours when； with Rita in his presence or enfolded by his arms； he had seen life from a new and poetic angle。 She was so charming； so naivebut what could he do？
For several years thereafter Cowperwood was busy following the Chicago street…railway situation with increasing interest。 He knew it was useless to brood over Rita Sohlbergshe would not returnand yet he could not help it； but he could work hard； and that was something。 His natural aptitude and affection for street…railway work had long since been demonstrated； and it was now making him restless。 One might have said of him quite truly that the tinkle of car…bells and the plop of plodding horses' feet was in his blood。 He surveyed these extending lines； with their jingling cars； as he went about the city； with an almost hungry eye。 Chicago was growing fast； and these little horse…cars on certain streets were crowded night and morningfairly bulging with people at the rush…hours。 If he could only secure an octopus…grip on one or all of them； if he could combine and control them all！ What a fortune！ That； if nothing else； might salve him for some of his woesa tremendous fortunenothing less。 He forever busied himself with various aspects of the scene quite as a poet might have concerned himself with rocks and rills。 To own these street…railways！ To own these street…railways！ So rang the song of his mind。
Like the gas situation； the Chicago street…railway situation was divided into three partsthree companies representing and corresponding with the three different sides or divisions of the city。 The Chicago City Railway Company； occupying the South Side and extending as far south as Thirty…ninth Street； had been organized in 1859； and represented in itself a mine of wealth。 Already it controlled some seventy miles of track； and was annually being added to on Indiana Avenue； on Wabash Avenue； on State Street； and on Archer Avenue。 It owned over one hundred and fifty cars of the old…fashioned； straw…strewn； no…stove type； and over one thousand horses； it employed one hundred and seventy conductors； one hundred and sixty drivers； a hundred stablemen； and blacksmiths； harness…makers； and repairers in interesting numbers。 Its snow…plows were busy on the street in winter； its sprinkling…cars in summer。 Cowperwood calculated its shares； bonds； rolling…stock； and other physical properties as totaling in the vicinity of over two million dollars。 The trouble with this company was that its outstanding stock was principally controlled by Norman Schryhart； who was now decidedly inimical to Cowperwood； or anything he might wish to do； and by Anson Merrill； who had never manifested any signs of friendship。 He did not see how he was to get control of this property。 Its shares were selling around two hundred and fifty dollars。
The North Chicago City Railway was a corporation which had been organized at the same time as the South Side company； but by a different group of men。 Its management was old； indifferent； and incompetent； its equipment about the same。 The Chicago West Division Railway had originally been owned by the Chicago City or South Side Railway； but was now a separate corporation。 It was not yet so profitable as the other divisions of the city； but all sections of the city were growing。 The horse…bell was heard everywhere tinkling gaily。
Standing on the outside of this scene； contemplating its promise； Cowperwood much more than any one else connected financially with the future of these railways at this time was impressed with their enormous possibilitiestheir enormous future if Chicago continued to grow； and was concerned with the various factors which might further or impede their progress。
Not long before he had discovered that one of the chief handicaps to street…railway development； on the North and West Sides； lay in the congestion of traffic at the bridges spanning the Chicago River。 Between the street ends that abutted on it and connected the two sides of the city ran this amazing streamdirty； odorous； picturesque； compact of a heavy； delightful； constantly crowding and moving boat traffic； which kept the various bridges momentarily turning； and tied up the street traffic on either side of the river until it seemed at times as though the tangle of teams and boats would never any more be straightened out。 It was lovely； human； natural； Dickensesquea fit subject for a Daumier； a Turner； or a Whistler。 The idlest of bridge…tenders judged for himself when the boats and when the teams should be made to wait； and how long； while in addition to the regular pedestrians a group of idlers stood at gaze fascinated by the crowd of masts； the crush of wagons； and the picturesque tugs in the foreground below。 Cowperwood； as he sat in his light runabout； annoyed by a delay； or dashed swiftly forward to get over before a bridge turned； had long since noted that the street…car service in the North and West Sides was badly hampered。 The unbroken South Side； unthreaded by a river； had no such problem； and was growing rapidly。
Because of this he was naturally interested to observe one day； in the course of his peregrinations； that there existed in two places under the Chicago Riverin the first place at La Salle Street； running north and south； and in the second at Washington Street； running east and westtwo now soggy and rat…infested tunnels which were never used by anybodydark； dank； dripping affairs only vaguely lighted with oil…lamp； and oozing with water。 Upon investigation he learned that they had been built years before to accommodate this same tide of wagon traffic； which now congested at the bridges； and which even then had been rapidly rising。 Being forced to pay a toll in time to which a slight toll in cash； exacted for the privilege of using a tunnel； had seemed to the investors and public infinitely to be preferred； this traffic had been offered this opportunity of avoiding the delay。 However； like many another handsome commercial scheme on paper or bubbling in the human brain； the plan did not work exactly。 These tunnels might have proved profitable if they had been properly built with long； low…per…cent。 grades； wide roadways； and a sufficiency of light and air； b
